Cross-disciplinary research facilities, dormitories, scholarships

CALL room, Language Hub room

We have two facilities to help with foreign language learning, operated by the International Communication Center. The CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) holds cutting-edge computerized language learning systems, where you can step up your education at your own pace. The Language Hub holds students who speak English, French, Korean, German, Russian and Chinese, and serves as an easy place to hold conversations in other languages.

Additionally, the Language Hub has English presentation seminars and other programs for teaching second languages, where you can put the languages you have learned to use. By using these facilities, you can expect to improve both your learning and practical use of second languages. We hope that you will use it not only to brush up on the languages you have learned, but also to learn new languages as well.

Library for Intercultural Studies

Kobe University has libraries on each campus. There isn’t a central library. The entrance of the Faculty of Intercultural Studies library has two signs: “Library for Intercultural Studies” and “General Library”. The General Library is meant to aid all fields and carries material for all disciplines. The Library for Intercultural Studies is aimed at students of the Faculty of Intercultural Studies as well as this department and focuses on material for cultural exchange, cultural issues in various countries and intercultural studies.

This library has a budget set aside for student requests and students of the research department can request to have a book bought. Along with renting books, the library provides the following services. Copying requests, deliveries within the university from other libraries, borrowing books or copies from other university libraries, and taking purchase requests. The following services can be requested through computers within the university without going to the library and are very convenient as you will be informed of the arrival of material and copies by email. You can also search electronic journals, databases and newspaper articles on the library homepage. The library is open until 21:30 on weekdays, and 18:00 on Saturdays.

Student Dormitories

Men have the Sumiyoshi Dormitory (Higashinada ward) and women have the Women’s Dormitory (Higashinada ward), both with individual rooms, and governed by students. The rent is 10,800 yen per month, with a water and electricity bill of 4,500 – 6,000 yen. The Sumiyoshi Dormitory has lunch and dinner (350 yen) while the Women’s Dormitory has dinner (about 300 yen). In 1997, the Sumiyoshi International Students’ Lodge was built next to the Sumiyoshi Dormitory (rent of 4700 yen per month, water and electricity bills of 8,000 – 9,000 yen). Individual rooms included. However, we do not have any plans for how many rooms will be available yet, as it will be under renovations for 2012 and 2013.

For students from overseas, there is an international residence, Sumiyoshi International Students’ Lodge, Sumiyoshi Dormitory and Hakuoh Dormitory. Each takes applicants in January (moving in April) and July (moving in October) every year, but places are limited. Additionally, there are boarding houses nearby maintained by private groups aimed for the foreign students. The International Student Department takes requests for any of these entries.

Scholarships

Scholarships vary from given out by JASSO, Kobe University, various foundations and businesses, as well as municipalities. In the case of JASSO, there are also type one scholarships (no interest) and type two scholarships (with interest) with a variance in the amount of cost.